Apprenticeship Success- Meet Sinead Jones

Dedicated adult apprentice Sinead Jones has recently completed her Level 3 Business Administration apprenticeship and achieved an impressive distinction grade. Sinead works at Qwest Services, which is a joint venture company between ENGIE and Chester West and Chester Council. Let's find out more about Sinead's apprenticeship journey! Why did you choose to complete an apprenticeship with Warrington & Vale Royal College? Qwest have a number of apprentices studying Level 3 Business Admin with WVR College and they had gained great skills and spoke highly of the course which encouraged me to take up the apprenticeship. I really wanted to further my skills and education and thought this would be a great opportunity for me to take up and help further my career. What do you feel was the best aspect of studying with Warrington & Vale Royal College? My tutor was amazing and so helpful, she was always there to support me when needed and helped me succeed. I also loved how I got 1 day a month out of the office to spend in college, which helped me meet new people and gave me time to study. The college campus was only based around the corner from work which was also very handy. How has your college tutor guided you through the course? Jenny was always available whenever I needed her to answer any questions or queries I had. She also visited me in my workplace regularly to see how everything was going and to go through my development and next stages of the course. She also was there to help with any workplace problems and gave me extra support whenever I needed it. I will really miss her now the course has ended. What advice would you give to students considering an apprenticeship with Warrington & Vale Royal College? Go for it! You learn so much that will not only help you in the workplace but in your day to day life. I learnt so much about me that it has helped me to grow and succeed as a person, which has helped me to believe in myself. Plus the support the college offers is great, not just through your tutor but through additional support such as the welfare team. Can you tell us more about your employer and your job role? Qwest Services provide a variety of services from cleaning to maintenance of public buildings to project management to customer services. They work in harmony with local councils and other public sector organisations through dynamic partnerships. Social Responsibility is at the core of our business culture, values and beliefs, we aim to always give back to the local community and support wider social value issues. I am an Executive Support Assistant for Qwest; my role is to support all senior managers, working in a fast-paced environment. I also act as the Board Administrator Officer for Brio, another Council Sister Company, where I deal with all the administration duties required for the Brio Board Meeting and Quarterly Committees throughout the year. The duties of my role include providing excellent customer service, working closely with the Senior Managers and supporting their projects, setting up meetings, organising appointments and travel, monitoring and maintaining files, attending meetings and preparing minutes, and contributing to fundraising events. What have you learned and enjoyed the most on your apprenticeship? I have learnt lots about myself, the way I work, and my personality, which has actually helped me grow and develop as a person, allowing me to become better at my role. I have also learnt a lot of theories which can be applied in the workplace such as Kotters change management theory, as well as overall workplace information which is great to know such as H&S regulations and principals, stakeholders of the organisation and external factors which could affect Qwest. What are your future career plans now you have completed your apprenticeship? I want to grow and progress with my career, hopefully complete another apprenticeship, as I want to continue to learn. I have just taken on some additional responsibility with another Council company, helping me to branch out and hopefully continue to progress. Do you feel your apprenticeship has helped you prepare for the next steps of your career? Absolutely, its helped me manage my time and work better, helping me balance extra responsibilities which is great as I have taken on a new role with Brio and need to be able to balance my Brio work with my Qwest work. It‚ also helped me with managing change which I have learnt through the course, which has certainly helped with the new ways of working due to COVID. Sinead has gained a whole host of new skills throughout her apprenticeship, and is in the best position to take the next step of her career. Ben Cummins, Managing Director at Qwest Services, praises her highly; "Sinead made significant progress on her course, and I'm pleased to see her results reflect this progress and I am unsurprised she received a distinction. She is a great employee and is vital to enabling me to do my job effectively. Sinead needs to think about what she wants to achieve in her career, which will guide next steps as her potential is huge." Everyone at Warrington & Vale Royal College is very pleased about Sinead's fantastic achievement! If you're an adult who would like to start a new career or enhance your current skills, click here to find out more about our Business Administration apprenticeship.